July 27, 2018

Romanian PM Viorica Dancila visits Macedonia; Four candidates are interviewed for the position of ACD head prosecutor

Florentin Căpitănescu, 27.07.2018, 12:57

SKOPJE — Romanian PM Viorica Dancila continues her tour of the West Balkans, going to Macedonia. She will meet with the head of state Gjorge Ivanov, PM Zoran Zaev, and Speaker of Parliament Talat Xhaferi. They will examine opportunities to develop bilateral relations, and the progress made by that country in its bid to join the EU and NATO. Previously, the PM visited Montenegro. She promised that the West Balkans will be a priority for Romania when it will hold the EU rotating presidency next year.

JUSTICE – The Justice Ministry in Bucharest announced today that it would resume the procedure for proposing a candidate for head prosecutor of the Anti-corruption Directorate. The four candidates were interviewed on Thursday by line minister Tudorel Toader. The four are Florentina Mirică, head prosecutor for the anti-corruption service of the ACD, Cristian Lazăr — head prosecutor with the criminal investigation section, Marius Iacob, deputy head prosecutor, and Elena Grecu, head prosecutor with the central section of the ACD. The position became vacant when former head prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kovesi was dismissed by presidential decree on 9 July, compelled by Constitutional Court ruling.

BUDGET – The general consolidated budget deficit in Romania in the first semester of this year reached 3.2 billion Euro, 1.61% of the GDP, according to the Finance Ministry. In the first half of the year, incomes were almost 13% higher, but expenditure rose more sharply, almost 19% more than the same period in 2017.

REPATRIATION — The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced it finalized the procedure to repatriate from Syria, through Turkey, of a group of seven people, six Romanian citizens, five of them minors, and a Syrian citizen, a member of the family. The ministry reiterates its firm call on Romanian citizens to leave Syria. Since the beginning of evacuations from Syria, in 2011, over 750 Romanian citizens and their families were brought back to the country.

ECLIPSE -The longest total eclipse of the moon in the 21st century, taking place between Friday and Saturday, will be visible from Romania too. The Bucharest Astronomic Observatory said that, if the sky is clear, the phenomenon will be visible from the entire country. The eclipse will last 103 minutes, comparable to the ones on June 26 2029 and July 7 2047, 102 minutes.

FOOTBALL — Romanian vice-champions FCSB defeated away from home 2-0 the Slovenian team NK Rudar Valenje, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the Europa League. In the same stage, Viitorul Constanta tied 2-all against the Dutch with Vitesse Arnhem. The winners of the Romania Cup , CSU Craiova, goes right to the third round. On Tuesday, current national champions CFR Cluj lost at home nil-1 the game against the Swedes of Malmo FF in the second preliminary round of the Champions League. The return matches are being played next week.

ATHENS — In Greece, the number of victims of the fires close to Athens has reached 85, but the toll could be higher, since a number of people are missing. The authorities, accused of having intervened too slowly, said that there are strong indications that the fires may be the result of criminal acts. In Bucharest, the Foreign Ministry announced that there is no information regarding Romanian citizens being among the victims. We recall that Romania sent on Wednesday two airplanes in support of the authorities in Greece: one fire fighting aircraft, and a C-130 Hercules for logistical support.